Crank handle with counterbalancing means



Dec. 11, 1951 P. c. TILLMAN 3mm HANDLE wrmmonmm- BALANCING MEANS Filed-July 18, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

.PaaZ 617375726??? Patented Dec. 11, 1951 CRANK HANDLE WITH COUNTER- BALANCING MEANS Paul C. Tillman, san Diego, Calif.

Application July 18, 1950, Serial No. 174,538

1 Claim. 1

the hand to rotate the tool. Such tools have the disadvantage that the offset portion is eccentric to the proper axis on which the tool should rotate, the center of gravity of the entire being caused by the presence of the oifset to lie outside such axis. When such a tool is rotated rapidly it will cause wobbling of the axis of rotation out of alinement with the bolt, nut or other article on which the tool is working with consequent tendency to disengagement from the article.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a tool of this general class having novel counterbalancing means for counterbalancing the offset handle of the tool so that at all speeds of revolution the center of gravity of the tool will always lie in the proper axis of rotation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel counterbalancing arrangement in a tool of this character whereby the counterbalance may be used to increase the effective torque of the tool- A further object of the invention is to arrange the counterbalance so that it has sliding connection with the body of the tool to change the moment arm for difi'erent torque requirements. With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the-invention is'better understood, the same consistsin the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing, and claimed.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete tool, Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section on line 2-2 of Figure 1 with the counterbalance in one position,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the counterbalance in another positiomandi Figure 41s a side view of the counterbalance removed from the rest of the tool.

In the construction of the device as here shown, the body of the tool is similar to others for like purposes and is formed of a length of rod metal bent 'orforged to provide a shank 10.; Alined withf and spaced longitudinallyfrom the shank is a handle ll preferably termed the steadying handle. Ofiset from the body I 0 and handle I I is a rotating handle I2 the axis of which isparallel to the common axis of the shank l0 and handle I I. The handle I2 is connected to the lower end of the handle H and to the upper end of the shank It! by arms I3. The axes of the arms l3 and handle l2 lie in a common plane.

The shank ID has its upper end enlarged as at M to provide for the formation of a bore I5 therethrough and having its axis in the plane of the remaining axes of the body. The axis of the bore I5 is at right angles to the axis of the shank l0.

Slidably mounted in the bore I5 is the reduced end I6 of a counterweight and torque member having an enlarged end l1 projecting away from the handle l2. Extending along the end I6 is a groove [8 connecting at each end with a transverse groove l9 which is considerably deeper than the groove l8. A socket 20 is drilled in the portion l4 and opens through a hole 2| into the bore 4 [5. In the socket 20 and projecting through the opening 2i is a headed pin 22. A cap 23 is screwed into the outer end of the socket and a spring 24 is interposed between this cap and the head of the pin so that the point of the pin is urged into the bore l5 for engagement with the grooves I 8 and I9. When the pin is not in one of the grooves IE it prevents longitudinal movement of the counterbalancing member so that it may be located as in full lines in Figure 1 to properly counterbalance the effect of the handle l2. In broken lines in that figure the portion i1 is in position to form a handle for exerting torque on the shank I 0. It will be noted that rotating the counterbalance from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 2 will free the pin from the grooves and permit separation of the counterbalance from the body of the device.

Means of common type for supporting wrench socksets, screw driver bits and the like are shown at 2 From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction. use, and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is neverthelessv to be understood that minor changes may be. made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

In a crank handle of the character described. a shank, a handle for'rotating the shank offset parallel therefrom, a holding handle alined with 3 said shank, a bar carried by the shank and having a counterbalancing head extending from the shank in a direction opposite the offset of the shank rotating handle, said bar having a reduced end slidably extending through said shank, said reduced end having a longitudinal keyway slot, and a spring pressed key carried by said shank and adapted to engage in said slot, said reduced end having a transverse slot at each end of the longitudinal slot, said transverse slots being deeper than the longitudinal slot.

PAUL C. TILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

